1898 City of Wellington by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 October 2026 1898 Wellington by-election New Zealand 1898 presidential no 1896 New Zealand general election 1896 general 1899 New Zealand general election 1899 general 9 March 1898 13,537 (77.26%) 150x150px John Duthie Conservative (New Zealand) 7,283 53.80 150x150px Richard Kirk New Zealand Liberal Party 6,254 46.20 Member Sir Robert Stout Independent politician John Duthie Conservative (New Zealand) The City of Wellington by-election 1898 was held on 9 March 1898 to decide the next member of parliament for the City of Wellington electorate. The contest was caused by resignation of Sir Robert Stout and was won by former mayor of Wellington John Duthie. Candidates Government A series of ballots were held by the Wellington Trades and Labour Council among the pro-labour liberal supporters to ensure a labour friendly candidate to join the Liberal Party government caucus. Out of the 20 local trade unions, 15 decided to nominate a prospective candidate to stand in support of the government. Five names were nominated and the top three proceeded to a selection meeting and second ballot at the Trades Hall. At the time of the first ballot, the candidate with the most votes, Richard Clement Kirk who was the Mayor of Petone, was being touted in the press as likely to be the official government nominee.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18980212.2.15 Political The New Zealand Times LXVII 3357 12 February 1898 2 The five nominees were: David Fisher, the president of the Maritime Council and a Petone Borough Councillor Francis Fraser, the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board and former MP for Te Aro Alfred Hindmarsh, president of the Wellington branches of both the Federated Seamen's Union and Federated Cooks and Stewards' Union Richard Clement Kirk, the sitting Mayor of Petone David McLaren, the vice president of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Workers' Union At the selection meeting Hindmarsh, Kirk and McLaren spoke to the crowd. It was notable for Hindmarsh's speech which was controversial. He emphasised the necessity for an independent labour voice inside Parliament. He made accusations against the Liberal Prime Minister Richard Seddon, who was in attendance, of using the labour movement as merely an addendum to the Liberal Party, acting dictatorially and doing very little to help working class people in his capacity as Minister of Labour. The speech resonated with many delegates but estranged Hindmarsh from the national leadership of the Federated Seamen's Union who were strong Liberal Party supporters.Taylor Kerry 3h28 Hindmarsh, Alfred Humphrey – Biography 23 December 2011 A week after the initial ballot, a second ballot of a wider group of union members was held and Kirk was the winner.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM18980218.2.21.10 The Wellington By-Election – The Labour Candidate Nelson Evening Mail XXXIII 41 18 February 1898 3 In addition to winning the support of the labour movement, Kirk was Seddon's own nominee and thus adopted as the official Liberal candidate as well.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18980223.2.7 Profession and Practice West Coast Times 10918 23 February 1898 2 AffiliationCandidateFirst ballotSecond ballotVotes%Votes% New Zealand Liberal Party 5px Liberal Richard Kirk 5 33.33 740 45.42 Liberal-Labour (New Zealand) 5px Liberal-Labour Alfred Hindmarsh 4 26.66 601 36.89 Liberal-Labour (New Zealand) 5px Liberal-Labour David McLaren 3 20.00 288 17.67 Liberal-Labour (New Zealand) 5px Liberal-Labour David Fisher 2 13.33 colspan="2" New Zealand Liberal Party 5px Liberal Francis Fraser 1 6.66 colspan="2" Majority 1 6.66 139 8.53Turnout 15 75.00 1,629 Opposition Several names were speculated in the media as candidates to stand in opposition to the Liberal Government, though the need to coalesce around just one was though crucial to success. The names included:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18980205.2.67 Wellington Notes The Press LV 9954 5 February 1898 9 Arthur Atkinson, runner-up candidate for the seat in 1896 Francis Bell, former MP for City of Wellington and Mayor of Wellington John Duthie, former MP for City of Wellington Stuart Menteath, former MP for Te Aro In a display of unity, Bell led a deputation to request that Duthie accept nomination for the seat. Duthie accepted the nomination.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18980209.2.78.3 Wellington By-Election The Evening Post LV 33 9 February 1898 6 Others Captain Jackson Barry announced himself as an Independent Liberal candidate by climbing on to a lorry near Queen's Wharf to address a group of working men. He highlighted his experience and his record as Mayor of Cromwell to the audience, though was met with little enthusiasm with only a few indicating their support.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18980221.2.40 Wellington City Election Thames Star XXX 8998 21 February 1898 3 Barry ultimately did not contest the seat. Some papers mused that Barry did not believe for a moment that would be nominated and it was merely an act for notoriety and would have been bound to forfeit his £10 deposit.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM18980304.2.5 Wellington City Election Lake Wakatip Mail 2198 4 March 1898 2 Results The following table gives the election results: See also 1899 City of Wellington by-election Notes References Electoral Atlas of New Zealand McRobie Alan 1989 GP Books Wellington 0-477-01384-8 Wellington 1898 Category:Politics of the Wellington Region Category:1898 elections in New Zealand Category:1890s in Wellington Category:March 1898 in Oceania